In Japan, working stiffs may not get much in the way of work-life balance, but machines sure do. Behold the off-duty vending machine! This pair is on the overnight ferry that travels between Ochiai and Hokkaido, and between the hours of 9:00 pm and 6:00 am, it’s impossible to buy a meal ticket for theContinueContinue reading “Sorry, that machine doesn’t work overtime!”
Category Archives: Burning questions
Beyond sushi: All the fabulous dinner choices that aren’t raw fish
If you’re trying to persuade someone who’s balking at eating raw fish to come with you to Japan, here’s some delicious ammo. Contrary to popular opinion, sushi is a special occasion treat, not something Japanese people eat morning, noon and night. These are the foods that the natives have a hard time deciding between whenContinueContinue reading “Beyond sushi: All the fabulous dinner choices that aren’t raw fish”
How get tickets and visit the new Ghibli Park
Real-life Howl’s Moving Castle photo thanks to Helen Foster Not to be confused with the Ghibli Museum near Tokyo, this new Ghibli Park (near Nagoya) was built to offer a real-life immersive experience for fans of the Studio Ghibli anime movies. It’s five distinct worlds, each featuring life-sized environments from the films, so you canContinueContinue reading “How get tickets and visit the new Ghibli Park”
What’s the REAL reason swimsuits aren’t allowed in baths at Japanese inns?
Japanese traditional inns’ #1 anxiety-producing rule is without a doubt, “You must bathe nude with strangers.” Naturally, those who come from cultures where nakedness is seldom allowed outside of intimate situations* this just feels wrong. And no amount of online assurance that “nobody cares how you look” and judgey admonishment to “just get over yourContinueContinue reading “What’s the REAL reason swimsuits aren’t allowed in baths at Japanese inns?”
Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!
There’s nothing more disappointing than flying all the way to Japan, navigating the trains, and hiking to the pin on your map,* only to discover that something you really want to see is CLOSED! Here’s what locals know about when things are open and when they’re not. 1 The 30-Minute Rule Most places don’t allowContinueContinue reading “Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!”
What Japanese phrases should I learn before I go?
None. That’s right, none. Yikes, that seems super rude, right? Nobody wants to be the kind of clueless tourist who assumes all the world speaks English! But let’s imagine for a moment how trotting out those “useful Japanese phrases” you plan to memorize on the plane will play out… Imagine, if you will, a foreignContinueContinue reading “What Japanese phrases should I learn before I go?”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 